Date: 05/04/2002

Number: 1

Cathy Walters saw her first monarch of the year in Lawrence on Saturday 4 May and I saw two yesterday (7th). One of the monarchs seen yesterday was faded and tattered and probably one of the last of the overwintering generation. The other appeared to be fresh, perhaps a newly hatched monarch moving north from somewhere in Texas. Interestingly, the last of the overwintering monarchs are usually reported at about the same week (1st week of May) new monarchs are seen at this latitude.

Last year the number of monarchs that moved through eastern KS from about the 20th of May to the 7th of June was truly exceptional and signaled both good reproduction in Texas and a good fall migration. It will be interesting to get an idea of the size of the population moving north in the coming weeks. There has been lots of rain in the last week so the milkweed and wildflowers should be in excellent condition for northbound first generation monarchs.


Dr. Chip Taylor

Director, Monarch Watch

(Condition of wings not noted.)

Lawrence, KS

Latitude: 39 Longitude: -95.2

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